Prelude to Living
by xxkoigirlxx
Summary: Bella Swan moves to Forks, WA so her mother can pursue work abroad. Bella, an introvert, is surprised to find herself with an instant friend, Alice. Little does she know, Alice’s intentions are to pair her up with her sullen brother, Edward.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Prelude to Living

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

Description - Bella Swan moves to Forks, WA to live with her father, so her mother can pursue work and travel abroad. Bella, an introvert, is surprised to find herself with an instant friend, Alice. Little does she know, Alice's intentions are to pair her up with her sullen brother, Edward. Bella slowly realizes that her life is now truly beginning.

Author's Note - This is my first ever Fanfic. I welcome constructive criticism, but please, be gentle!

Chapter 1 - New Beginnings

"It is no longer I, but another whose life is just beginning." - Samuel Beckett

BPOV

As I watched the rain come down, I huddled down in the front seat of Charlie's police cruiser, wondering if I had made a big mistake. Living in Forks was definitely not my ideal living situation, but I could hardly see how things could have turned out differently. Over the past year, my mom, Renee, had several job offers to work overseas. Each time, she'd come home and tell me she turned it down, citing that it was more important for me to finish out my last 2 years of high school in the same place, and that traveling around different countries was no way of life for a teenaged girl. She would tell me that it was no big deal, but, knowing her as well as I did, I could see the sadness behind her eyes, and hear the tinge of disappointment in her voice.

After the last rejected offer, I decided it was time for me to do some thinking. As long as I was being honest with myself, it's not like I was the pinnacle of popularity in my Phoenix high school. On the contrary, I was pretty much a loner. I didn't have a large group of friends, I didn't have a boyfriend, and really, I didn't even have someone I considered a BFF, with whom I could share my innermost thoughts. Let's face it, it's not like I would be leaving anything or anyone important behind, if I decided to move. I had spent so much of my life trying to keep up with Renee, entertaining her habit of flitting from activity to activity, and frankly, it was getting a little exhausting. I decided moving to Forks, WA to live with my dad, Charlie, would actually be pretty relaxing.

I can still see her face when I told her about my decision. She tried to sound concerned and worried, but there was no hiding her excitement as her eyes lit up with the thought of all the opportunities that awaited her. "Bella, are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?" she asked me. It wasn't hard to convince her. After all, I was more the adult in the relationship than she was.

I wasn't very nervous about living with Charlie, even though it had been several years since I regularly visited him. We had a comfortable relationship, and he was easy to be around. Unlike Renee, Charlie didn't feel the need to constantly prattle on about every detail of his day. I found the silence refreshing. After some small talk, we settled down into an agreeable silence, and it wasn't long before I felt my eyelids drooping. The rain spattering on the windshield served as a lullaby and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

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"Time to wake up, Bells. We're home!" Charlie said as he gently shook me awake. I yawned and rubbed my eyes. The house looked much the same as the last time I had seen it, other than a fresh coat of paint. I climbed out of the cruiser, and reached up and stretched. I got a face full of the wet mist that was coming down from the sky. Note to self: remember to use my hood.

Charlie helped me with my duffel bag and took it up the stairs to my childhood room. I almost groaned out loud when I remembered that we'd be sharing the one bathroom of the house. Again, not my ideal, but, I'd live with it. Charlie pushed open the door to my room and I stepped inside and was taken back to days gone by. The bed and dresser stood in the same place they always had, but there was now a desk in the corner, where my old toybox used to be. The curtains were the same old ones I had always had, now faded and worn with age. On the walls hung childish drawings I had tacked up long ago, and a framed picture of Renee and myself, dating back to when I was about 5. I remember she had given it to me to hang in my room during one of my summer visitations, so that I wouldn't get home sick. Looking back, I think she was more worried that I'd forget her.

"How does it look, Bells?" Charlie asked me, pointing to the new silver and plum bedspread on the bed. "I'm not up on the latest decorating trends, but when I saw it, I thought of you."

"It's find Ch--Dad. And thanks for the desk," I replied, reminding myself that it was probably not a good idea to keep calling him Charlie.

"I figured you'd need it for your school work. I hope it's okay." Charlie stood there ringing his hands, and it touched me how nervous he seemed to feel, hoping I'd find my new surroundings comfortable and adequate.

"It's great, Dad, really," I reassured him. I hoped that as we settled into an easy routine, he'd stop acting as if I were going to run back to Phoenix over something as trivial as furniture.

"Okay," Charlie stammered. "I'm going to go down and call for a pizza while you unpack and get settled in."

After Charlie left my room, I sat down on my bed and closed my eyes. Even though I have always felt wise beyond my years, I couldn't help but feel the pangs of loneliness. Lonely for what, I don't know. Back in Phoenix, I was always escaping to my room claiming school work when Renee wasn't dragging me to some class or activity that she felt was "essential to being a well-rounded child." I gave a big sigh, decided my feelings were a natural reaction to a big change of scenery and began to unpack my clothes into my tiny closet and old dresser. When I was done, I sat my laptop on my new desk, and shot off a quick email to Renee to let her know that I had arrived safely and was already settling in. I was surprised when Charlie called up to let me know that the pizza was here. Oh yeah, that's right, Forks is a tiny town, where when they tell you your delivery will be in 30 minutes or less, they really mean it. I closed the laptop and went down to eat, thankful that I knew Charlie wouldn't be pressed for conversation, and I could eat with the silence of my own thoughts.

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After dinner was over and the dishes were all cleaned up and put away, I gave Charlie a peck on the cheek and told him I was heading up to bed. He just said, "Goodnight, Bells!" eyes still glued to some sporting event on the television. Mostly I just wanted to be alone, but I truly was tired and decided to try to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, Charlie was taking me to La Push to the reservation to pick up my new-to-me truck that he had bought me as a welcome home present.

I grabbed my pajamas and went into the bathroom to attend to my nightly routine of washing my face, brushing my teeth and pulling my hair back into a loose ponytail. I inwardly groaned at the thought of sharing a bathroom with Charlie, but I told myself it could be worse. I heard the TV in the background downstairs and smiled knowing that Charlie's routine would hardly change now that I was back in Forks. He was predictable, and after the barrage of Renee trying to fill her life with meaningless things to mask her disappointment of not traveling abroad, I decided predictable was a good thing.

I opened the window a crack just to get some fresh air, and turned off the lights and settled into my bed trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. I laid there for quite some time, re-adjusting my position, throwing the covers off, pulling them back up again and feeling overall pretty restless despite my jet lag. While it was my room, it didn't feel right. This bed was softer than the one I had slept on in Phoenix. The shadows fell across my room in an unfamiliar pattern. The sounds of the house weren't at all what I was used to. I scolded myself, realizing I was acting like a child. I popped my iPod earbuds in my ears, turned over to face the wall, and finally was able to drift off into a fitful slumber.


	2. Chapter 2 New Girl in Town

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

Chapter 2 - New Girl in Town

APOV

The day was shaping up to be just like every other, overcast skies, damp chill in the air, and a fine mist coming down out of the clouds. And Edward…the same as always. I loved him as if he was my own flesh and blood, but really, that boy could drive me insane!! I wasn't the only one who was dissatisfied with Edward's moodiness and pensive disposition. I happened to know for certain that Carlisle and Esme, our adoptive parents, were also concerned. With a son who looked like Edward, it was surprising that girls didn't constantly surround him, but trust me, it wasn't for lack of the female student population trying that Edward remained single. I could easily tick off a list of girls who had tried to capture his attention. It was like he just looked right through them when they'd come up and bat their mascara-caked eyelashes, or drop their pencil and bend over in front of him to pick it up. A few were even brave enough to verbally proposition him for a date, or to ask him to the season's dance, but he always declined, in that polite yet cool tone he had. Eventually though, the ones that felt spurned by him spread word around the rest that he was uninterested and he got a reputation of being "too good" for the likes of any girl in school. He was the "most eligible bachelor" and the "most untouchable" altogether.

Esme had even worried that he may need counseling, and she worried that she had failed as a mother to him when he seemed to be emotionally unreachable by other girls his age. After several times of her trying to confront him on this, and Edward brushing it off, he finally sat down and told her that the "right one" was out there somewhere, but he just hadn't found her yet, and he was not going to waste his affections on someone who was not his true love. Esme, ever the romantic, was completely satisfied by this answer. I wondered if he truly felt that way, or if it was just an answer to get Esme off his back, but I knew when to stop prying, so I never asked him.

I had almost gotten to the point where if he didn't mind being the only lonely, the third wheel, happy in his misery, than I didn't give a rip either. Almost. Truthfully, it really bothered me that he was so sullen, so dark and so lonely. I nearly felt bad that the rest of us, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and myself, had all sort of paired up, and that he was left by himself. It made me sad to see him alone, but how could I regret finding my perfect match? I really thought things would work out between he and Rose, but I guess she just wasn't his type. It didn't surprise me when she got together with Emmett. They were made for each other.

And that left Edward. I tried not to play matchmaker, not after the whole Rose debacle, but I was quickly running out of patience when it came to this matter, and I was just done with dealing with his melancholy moodiness. It seemed like none of the girls at Forks High School were anywhere close to being his type. They were all either too shallow, too stuck up, too Emo, too dull or any number of other excuses Edward had come up with. I couldn't even talk him into checking out the girls in Port Angeles for a change of scenery. I had been thinking about giving up on the whole thing, and then I saw her.

I had heard that Chief Swan's daughter, Isabella, was going to be moving back to Forks. She hadn't been here since we moved here from Alaska, but a lot of the other kids at Forks High School remembered her and she was the recent topic of discussion. I almost felt bad for the poor girl, to be gossip fodder before she even arrived, but that was the way it worked in a small town like Forks, population 3,275, or 3,276 if you counted the new girl. I first saw her in the parking lot, getting out of an old clunker of a pickup truck. She looked...mysterious. Then again, that could just be because I was so used to the other students at school, but I don't know, I just sensed something about her. My instincts on these things were almost always spot on.

She got out of her truck and walked into the main office. She didn't look any different from anyone else, physically, I mean. Her wardrobe could use a little help; she was dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and the pre-requisite rain parka. She was pale as a ghost, which surprised me having the knowledge that she was coming here from such a warm, sunny climate. I had expected that she'd be sporting a nice tan. She had long dark hair, with some reddish highlights, that she wore loose, with just a bit of wave. Descriptions alone, she looked like any other typical high school student. I think it was the way she carried herself that got me.

She seemed so sure of herself and un-sure of herself, all at the same time. She seemed a bit awkward, and clumsy, I noted as she tripped on the curb, but also graceful, like a dancer. This girl was a walking oxymoron. She'd be a perfect match for Edward, who had a knack for looking contented and depressed all at once. Suddenly, despite my having sworn off playing matchmaker ever again, a plan began to formulate in my head. I had a feeling about this. If I played all my cards right, and did this ever so carefully, Edward, or Isabella for that matter, would never know my preconceived plans for the two of them. All it would take was some careful planning, of which I was notorious for, and some finesse, which I possessed a lot of. Excitedly, I started heading towards the office, not noticing the quizzical looks coming from behind me.

I decided to stand outside of the office and wait for her. I saw the others shrug their shoulders and head off to their respective classes. They knew me enough, that when I went off on some whim, to leave me alone and let me do my thing. I was pretty sure they thought they'd figure it out sooner or later. And this time, boy would they! I almost giggled out loud, but stopped myself. I stood there trying to act as inconspicuous as I could, while waiting for the new girl to resurface from the office. I coached myself to try to tone it down some. I know I can be overly bubbly and excitable, and I am no fool in realizing that can sometimes turn someone completely off. Once you got to know me though, it was no holds barred!

I positioned myself so that when she came out of the door, she couldn't help but see me. I was just starting to get impatient and worried I'd be late for class when she finally stepped out into the chilly damp air. "Hi, aren't you Isabella Swan? Welcome to Forks High School!!"

She just stood there with this cool indifferent look on her face for a minute (gee, where had I seen that look before?) before finally answering me. "Yeah, I'm Bella." She appeared to be pondering me suspiciously. "And you are...."

"Well, Bella, it's great to finally meet you!! I'm Alice, Alice Cullen, and …I think we're going to be great friends!" I said enthusiastically, hoping I hadn't overdone it with that last bit. Well, at least the girl won't forget who I am!

"It's...nice to meet you, Alice," Bella responded after a long pause. She looked at me with this incredulous look, like she was shocked that I was speaking to her. "Um...how did you know who I am?" she asked.

"Oh, that's easy," I replied. "This is Forks. Small town, in case you hadn't noticed, and ...well ...news gets around. You're the new girl! Everyone has been talking about you for the last 2 weeks."

"Oh, right. The new girl," Bella chuckled dryly. "Guess I'll have to get used to that."

I felt bad for her then, because she looked so uncomfortable. I didn't see what the big idea was. Having been the new girl before, I just didn't see it as all that bad. But then again, I loved attention, and it was pretty small-minded of me to forget that not everyone felt the same way.

"So...are you like, the welcome wagon or something?" she asked me.

"The welcome wagon?" Gee. Maybe I had overdone it. Time to pull something out of the air on this one. I flashed her one of my spectacular grins and said, "No. No welcome wagon. I just remember what it was like being the new girl and knowing no one, so I thought I'd introduce myself. You know, so you wouldn't feel like an outsider." I hoped I had redeemed myself with that one.

"Oh, okay, then. Well, thanks, Alice." Bella just stood there looking at me like she was not sure what to do next. Hmmm ...this one might need a bit of work, just some polishing around the rough edges. Well, there would be plenty of time for that, if things went according to my plan.

"What class do you have first?" I asked her, hoping to move things along a bit before we were both late. She'd have an excuse, being new and all, but me? Not so much.

"English," she replied.

"Oh, good. So do I!! I'll show you the way!" I started off and she just stood there for a minute and I gestured impatiently and she finally started walking. I tried to make small talk on the way to class, but was only getting one-word answers from her. This might take a little more time than I thought, but I was positive she was the one. My first impression of her screamed out that she was perfect for Edward, and my first impressions had never failed me yet.

**A/N: Thanks so much if you are reading this! Reviews are definitely welcomed!**


	3. Chapter 3 Out cast, or Incast?

Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.

Chapter 3 - Outcast, or in-cast?

BPOV

I walked out of the office and almost ran right into the most pixie-like girl I had ever seen in my life. She was dressed in what appeared to be designer clothes (to my fashion-limited knowledge, or lack thereof), and she looked like she could be a dancer. I almost looked around to make sure she was talking to me, but then I realized she called me by my name.

"Hi, aren't you Isabella Swan?" the little dancer girl asked me. "Welcome to Forks High School!!"

I could feel my jaw drop and had to remind myself to clamp it shut and try to remain cool. Of all the things I expected on my first day at Forks High School, this chattering girl was not one of them. I answered her, and tried to be all nonchalant as I asked her who she was.

"Well, Bella, it's great to finally meet you!! I'm Alice, Alice Cullen, and ...well ...I think we're going to be great friends!" she jabbered. For such a tiny thing, she was really unexpectedly exuberant. Friends? I just set eyes on this girl, and she thinks we are going to be "great friends?" Wow. They must have a real lack of excitement here in Forks.

I was pretty dismayed when she relayed to me that everyone knew me, and that, as the new girl in such a small school, I was the current object of attention. That made me more than uncomfortable. I actually feel very comfortable in my introverted world, and being in the spotlight sure didn't do much for my self-esteem. "So...are you like, the welcome wagon or something?" I asked her. Too late I realized that my question probably came across as very rude. I'd have to think out my responses a little better the next time. I felt pretty bad when she explained that she knew what it was like being the new girl in town, and she was just being friendly so I didn't feel so out of place. Ha. Not feeling out of place. I _lived_ out of place. I was beginning to think it wasn't such a bad place to be after all.

I tried my best to pull my foot out of my mouth and thank her for her friendliness. She asked what class I had first and I told her English. She got even more excited, if that was even possible, and said she did too, and took off leading the way. I just stood there for a moment wondering if I had stepped into the Twilight Zone or something. Very strange, this one. All the way to class she jabbered on and on and I was starting to feel like she was another Renee. I tried to give short answers to her questions as I got accustomed to the idea of someone actually being interested enough to shoot me these inquiries.

In class, I had to give the teacher a slip from the office showing that I was the new student. As if everyone didn't already know that. Alice saved me a seat next to her and as I sat down, she started giving me tidbits of information on some of the other students. She was probably just trying to fill me in so I didn't feel as lost as I probably looked, but it still felt very odd. I was glad when class started so I could get a break from her incessant chattering. I chided myself for thinking such rude thoughts about the petite Alice, but I couldn't help wondering if she had some ulterior motive. Back in Phoenix, if someone was overly nice to me, it was most likely because they were laughing at me and making fun of me behind my back. Another good reason I kept pretty much to myself.

I was used to being a social outcast. In fact, it fit comfortably and I was so used to it, I never even entertained the thought of it being any other way. So while starting at a new school mid-year was a little nerve-wracking, it really wasn't that big of a deal because I figured once the novelty wore off, I'd just fade back into the background and everything would pretty much be the same way I was used to it being in my old school. Being invisible was something I could feel okay with, but this notion of someone actually being interested in talking to me, and so friendly at that? Well, this really threw me for a loop.

After class was over, Alice snatched up my schedule before I could even blink (fast little thing she is!) and her face fell as she realized our next 2 periods were different, but she felt redeemed when she saw that we had 4th period Spanish together. She pointed me in the direction of my next class, and bounced off towards hers. I stood there forcing myself not to chuckle out loud as I watched her walk off. My "new friend" was definitely a character and a half. I walked off to class, trying to ignore the pointing and whispering the other students were doing. Maybe having Alice around wasn't so bad; at least she distracted me from remembering that I am the big oddity around here!

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Spanish class had assigned seating, so I wasn't able to sit next to Alice. Strangely enough, I actually missed her idle chitchat and wished I wasn't stuck sitting in the back of the class. It was an odd thing for me, taking comfort in someone who for all intents and purposes was a complete stranger to me. This was something I hadn't really felt before and it slightly annoyed me that I liked it. I was still leery of this new "friendship" (I hesitated to call it that) and I mentally reminded myself not to get my hopes up. The Spanish teacher was all business so the class was busy conjugating verbs. Pages turned furiously in books as I sat there quietly and wrote out the words from memory. It seemed like Forks was a little behind in terms of education. I had found so far that much of the work in my classes was stuff I had already learned in Phoenix. Rather than feeling frustrated though, it was a bit of a relief. This would make my transition easier, and, let's face it, I'd get a great GPA out of it.

As soon as the bell rang, Alice was right beside my desk so fast I didn't even see her move. That girl was full of surprises for sure! She was excited to walk me to the lunchroom and have time where we could sit and talk without being shushed by teachers.

"Oh, Bella!" she began spiritedly, "I can't _wait_ to introduce you!"

I almost groaned out loud. "Introduce me to who?" I asked sheepishly.

"Oh! Just my four favorite people in Forks!"

Her enthusiasm almost made me cringe. I was learning quickly to deal with Alice, even dare I say enjoying her company, but the thought hadn't occurred to me that of course she'd have other friends. Perhaps I should feel gratitude that she found me pleasing enough to meet the people she normally hung out with, but instead, I was feeling unsettled. As we walked in the cafeteria, I was so nervous, I did something that is very characteristic, albeit mortifying of me. I tripped over my own feet. Alice grabbed my arm, and I almost took her down with me, but thankfully, I caught my balance when I was just on the brink of disaster. _Gee, Bells, _I thought to myself, _what a way to make a first impression._

As she practically dragged me by the arm over to a table in the corner, I thought again how much easier life was as a loner. Oh well. Alice seemed popular enough that at least with her by my side, no one else was pointing at me, not that I hadn't done a good enough job of making a spectacle of myself.

I saw 4 kids already seated at the table. Of course, they were all just as gorgeous as Alice, both male and female. I wondered if this was why all the other students seemed to give this group a wide berth. Goodness knows, if Alice's little self wasn't propelling me along, I would have too. Even though I was pretty slender myself, I felt like an ogre standing next to her petite form. Sitting with this beautiful group of people was surely going to make me feel like the Ugly Duckling.

There was a girl, tall, lean and blonde, and she looked like she had just stepped off the pages of a magazine. It was hard to believe she was a high school student. She looked more like she belonged on some runway in Paris. Next to her, with his arm around her, stood a muscular, athletic looking guy. He had short dark brown hair and he was the handsome burly type. I could totally see why they were into each other. On his left was a leaner, but still muscular looking guy, with blond hair that sort of jutted up in all different directions. Even so, he had this warmth and friendliness in his eyes as he saw us approaching. Lastly, seated next to the blonde girl, was the most magnificent looking guy I think I had ever laid eyes on. He had bronze hair that was messy, yet perfect all at the same time. He had these intense eyes that I was afraid to look into, for fear I'd get lost in their depths. His faced was finely chiseled, and he looked like he could have been carved out of stone. No doubt about it, I was definitely way out of my league!


	4. Chapter 4 First Meeting

Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.

Chapter 4 - First Meeting

APOV

So far, everything was going perfectly. I realized right away in 1st period that my plan was going to take multiple steps, so I neatly broke down and categorized everything by priority in my head. I am such a genius at this stuff! While I was anxious for Edward to finally have a girlfriend and live a life akin to most teenage boys his age, I realized that throwing caution to the wind when it came to this matter was only going to hinder me, not help me. I decided to take things slow and easy, step-by-step, not going on until previous goals were met. The first thing on the list was to gain a friendship with Bella. I never had trouble making friends, but this kinship had to be slightly different. I had to get Bella to trust me with everything, so that when the time came, if and when she realized I was trying to set her up with Edward, she wouldn't bolt and never talk to me again. This was a delicate, but totally doable situation. Time and patience was becoming my new mantra.

I found Bella very easy to be with. I didn't think it would take too long before we settled into a quite comfortable relationship. I truly thought she'd be absolutely perfect for Edward, a yin to his yang to use a completely corny analogy. She was so aloof; yet, she seemed to be perfectly happy being that way. That was so strange to me, as I have strived my whole life to remain on top of everything and everything in my world fits neatly into the little packages in which I place them. My family sometimes accused me of having unrealistic expectations, but I just had a way about me and I was rarely disappointed. I just considered it part of my "Alice Charm."

As the day went on, Bella seemed to loosen up and relax and actually talk to me, rather than just give perfunctory answers. I had great hopes for this one! I could hardly contain my excitement when it was finally lunchtime. It was time for the first meeting!! I was slightly dismayed at her stunned look when I mentioned introducing her to everyone. She actually stumbled and almost pulled me down with her. Silly girl! Once she recovered herself though, I didn't give her a chance to change her mind. I could almost see her brace herself as I pointed out our table. She gave everyone a glance, but wait...did she actually stop and stare at Edward the longest? I really hoped I wasn't just imagining it. Seeing them together, they really would make the perfect couple. I could only hope that eventually Edward would see it too, and he wouldn't just brush her off immediately.

"Hi, everyone!" I bubbled. "I'd like you to meet Bella. Bella, this is my boyfriend, Jasper, my best friend, Rosalie, her boyfriend, Emmett, and my brother, Edward." I introduced them and watched them closely to see if I could read their first impressions.

Jasper looked slightly surprised, but had a knowing look on his face. I really hoped it was because we had such a close connection, and not because I was being too obvious. "Hi, Bella. It's nice to meet you," said Jasper very cordially. My Jasper, always the southern gentleman.

Emmett looked genuinely happy to meet her, which totally fit with his character. "Hey, Bella," he said in his friendly manner. "Aren't you the police chief's daughter?" He continued without waiting for an answer, "We've heard a lot about you. You've been the talk of the town! It's great to be able to put a face with the name!"

Next was Rose. She looked...indifferent. Rosalie wasn't really a snob, not deep down inside when you got to meet her, but she did have a way of making people feel very small and unimportant. I made a mental note to apologize to Bella for her later. "Hi," Rose mumbled, glancing away as if she could care less.

Their reactions really weren't that important to me. The one I was waiting for was.... "Nice to meet you, Bella Swan," Edward said with a crooked grin. "I really hope my sister isn't scarring you for life," he chuckled. Well, that was a better reaction than I had hoped for!

Bella went off to get her food while I sat down with the others. "Isn't she nice?" I asked them.

"Since when do you go around being so interested in the new kid?" scoffed Rose. She looked at Bella standing in the cafeteria line and scowled.

"Hey, she's just being nice. Not everyone has your disposition, Rose!" countered Jasper.

"I just thought I would be helpful to Forks High School's newest pupil," I said. "She looked so lonely and lost this morning, I felt bad for her."

"Yeah, it's true, she is pretty pathetic," laughed Rose.

"Now, now, Rose, nice kitty!" Edward retorted. "I think it's very nice of you, Alice. Although I do have to agree, it's slightly out of your character." I saw his gaze flicker to Bella as she walked back with her salad. I got a glimmer of hope, but as soon as she sat down, Edward started staring off into space. I could lead a horse to water, but apparently, I couldn't make him drink. Hmmm, a horse, I thought; more like a horse's ass, maybe. I had to stifle my giggle at my own mental joke. I'd have to remember that one for later!

The rest of lunch passed pretty uneventfully. Emmett, Jasper and I made small talk with Bella as we ate. Rose appeared to have her panties in a twist over something, and wasn't very sociable. I'd have to ask her about it later. Edward shot her dirty looks whenever she said something that was outright rude, but other than that, he was pretty quiet, behaving like his usual pensive self. I even tried to bring up one of his favorite subjects, music, but he didn't take the bait. The bell rang and I asked Bella what class she had next, having forgotten her schedule.

"Oh, I have biology," she said. Biology? If I wasn't mistaken, that was Edward's next class. This could work out better than I had ever planned!

"Biology?" I asked, trying my hardest to keep the excitement out of my voice. "That's Edward's next class too! I'm sure he'll..." I trailed off when I realized Edward had already exited the cafeteria. How rude of him to not at least say goodbye.

"It's no problem," Bella assured me. "It's not like the school is that big. I'm not going to get lost or anything."

"Okay then. I'll see you after school, Bella!" I called out to her retreating form. I needed to start putting my plan into action. If I could be on good enough terms with Bella by Friday, I could use the guise of showing her weekend entertainment around town to get her closer to Edward. If all else fails... Nope, wasn't even going to go there. My plan would _not_ fail!


	5. Chapter 5 Now You See Him

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

**A/N - I'd love any and all reviews, please!! I have another chapter already written and ready to go for this one, but I'd love some feedback so I know that I'm taking it in the right direction. Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 5 - Now You See Him...

BPOV

Alice seemed overly excited at the prospect of her brother, Edward, walking me to my biology class. I was actually relieved when she realized that he had already left the cafeteria. The thought of walking with him made my heart start to beat erratically in my chest. I was nervous enough to discover that he was in my biology class, but I was hoping I could avoid him. I was pretty sure he wouldn't be saving me a seat like Alice. Edward didn't seem the conversational type. All during lunch, he just sort of stared off into space, and other than the occasional glance at his sister, or one of the others at the table, he seemed to be in his own little world. Honestly, that was fine with me. I couldn't imagine that I had anything to say that would interest him anyway.

I walked into biology and gave my slip to the teacher to sign, following the same routine as the rest of the day. The teacher seemed nice enough, and commiserated to me that I'd probably be doing review work, as we had already covered the current topic in Phoenix. "You're in luck, Miss Swan. You'll be paired up with Edward Cullen as your lab partner. He's also ahead in this class, so you won't be stuck doing all the work." He pointed out the only empty seat in the class.

I swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in my throat and headed to my seat at the table next to Edward. Just as I rounded the corner, I tripped over my feet again. I groaned inwardly as several of the other students laughed at me. Glad to know some things never changed. I looked up at Edward just in time to see him roll his eyes. Great. I sat down on the stool and looked down at my book, willing everyone to ignore me, wishing I were invisible.

I was thankful when the bell rang and it was time to get to work. We were labeling stages of mitosis, so we breezed through it quickly and then had nothing left to do but just sit there. I sighed and shifted in my seat. I was in a conundrum. I wanted this class to be over, so I could stop feeling so awkward sitting next to Edward, but my next class was gym, my most despised class ever. I was about as un-athletic as anyone could possibly be. Add that to my klutziness and not only was I the last person chosen for a team, I made a complete spectacle of myself. As I sat there, wishing the floor would just open up and swallow me whole, putting me out of my misery, I glanced over at Edward.

Besides being the most gorgeous male I had ever seen, there was just something about him that intrigued me. I had noticed how the other girls in the class looked at him in awe, but seemed to keep their distance, as if they knew that he was unattainable. I certainly didn't blame them for that. I'd be doing the same if I weren't forced to sit right next to him. He looked like he had an old soul, and that was wise way beyond his years. There was just something...deep...about him. His bronze hair was a unique shade and he looked like he could be a male model for sure.

His eyes were this not quite gold, not quite brown color, and I felt drawn to them. Of course, I was making my assessment out of the little peeks I could take at him without drawing attention to the fact that I was trying not to stare. I just didn't know what it was about him. I felt drawn in, yet pushed away by him all at the same time. I realized my hands were sweating and I wiped them on my jeans.

"So, Bella Swan, what brings you to Forks?" he asked me, his voice almost melodious in tone. I sat there in a stupor, amazed that he was actually talking to me.

"Well, it's a little complicated," I replied.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

I gave him the basics of why I moved in with Charlie, leaving out the personal details involved, and giving him the shortened version. For one thing, I didn't know him well enough to feel comfortable sharing my emotions, and for another, I was still getting over the shock of him speaking to me.

"Wow," he said. "That is very selfless of you." I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not and I was slightly annoyed at myself for even answering his question to begin with.

"Why would that surprise you? In the entire what, 2 hours I've known you, you suddenly know enough about me to make a judgment?" I know my response came across as pretty obnoxious, but I was at the point where I didn't really care. I was not used to being so social, and I was finding that I had pretty much reached my limit. It was bad enough having my new classmates pointing and whispering at me all day long, but to have to answer such personal questions from a stranger was really starting to get to me.

"Well," Edward said in his calm cool way, completely indifferent to my rudeness, "It's just that most of the other kids around here are too caught up in themselves to do something like that. Look around, do you really think that anyone you see in here would do something so self-sacrificing?"

While I was thinking of a response to that, the bell rang and I quickly gathered my books and stumbled out of the classroom, amidst the throngs of other students. I didn't stop to look back at Edward, and I almost regretted my behavior. But I had more pressing things to think about, like gym class.

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Mercifully, I was allowed to sit out today during gym, as I didn't have my uniform yet. Tomorrow that would all change. I watched my classmates playing volleyball and I cringed thinking about how quickly it would become obvious that I was a mess when it came to all things athletic. I trekked across the campus, headed towards the office, bundling my parka around me as the rain began to fall harder. Thankfully the day was just about over. I was ready to go to the solitary confines of Charlie's house and be alone with my own thoughts. Just then, I saw Alice dart across the grass headed right towards me. I sighed, waiting for her spirited approach.

"So, Bella, how was your first day?" she asked me, eyes sparkling and wide smile.

"It was okay."

"Are you busy after school? I'd love to show you around town!"

I really wasn't in the mood for more company, and longed for the peacefulness of my bedroom, and the simplicity of cooking dinner for Charlie and myself. "Actually, I kind of have some things I need to get done at home. You know, settling in stuff," I added, hoping I didn't come across as being too lame. Usually, I didn't care what other people thought of me, but for some reason, I really liked Alice and wanted her to like me too.

"Oh, well maybe another day then!" Alice responded, un-phased.

We just stood there, her looking beautiful, and me probably looking as aloof as I felt. I'd have to try to work on my conversational skills. "Well..." I stammered, "I have to go back to the office to turn this in. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Bella!!!" Alice bounced off towards the parking lot.

I let out a sigh and turned to enter the office.

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Charlie and I sat at the kitchen table eating in an easy silence. I had fixed a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs and a salad to go along with it. I watched in awe as Charlie ate like he was a condemned man. Then I remembered that Charlie didn't cook. "Sorry, Bells. It's just that this is so good. You're going to spoil me cooking dinners like this!" he said in between bites.

"It's no trouble, Ch-Dad. I like to cook." It was true. I found that cooking relaxed me and gave me something to do with instant gratification. Besides, I had done most of the cooking for Renee anyway. We took a cooking class together once, and she bailed after the first week, claiming it was "not my forte" but I had continued on and found that it was something I truly enjoyed. The fact that I was good at it was just an added bonus.

"So, how was your first day at school?" Charlie asked, pushing his empty plate away and wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

"You missed a spot," I chuckled signaling to his chin. "It was actually okay."

"Just okay? How are your teachers? Did you meet any new friends?" I knew Charlie was only asking these things because Renee had coached him on the importance of knowing the minute details of my day. I almost had to laugh at him. He looked so distressed, sitting there squirming in his seat, trying to make small talk. I knew it was out of character for him.

"It was fine, Dad. Really. And actually, I did meet a new friend."

"Well.... good!" Charlie sat in his chair looking at the clock and I knew some game was going to be starting on TV.

"Go watch the game, Dad. It won't take me but a few minutes to clean this up and then I'll be heading to my room for the night. Homework, you know," I said, giving Charlie the out he was looking for.

"As long as you don't mind..." he mumbled as he was already heading for the television.

I cleaned up the dishes; washing them and placing them in the dish rack to dry, making a mental note to go grocery shopping sometime soon. I was lucky enough to find the fixings for dinner, but we were already down to things like canned soup and ravioli. I smiled widely as I thought about Charlie and how easy it was to live with him. It was so relaxing to not have the constant chatter and constant ball of energy and hustle and bustle that Renee had become, in an effort to fill up her life with things. I think she was just trying to keep herself so occupied that she wouldn't have time to think about the things she was really longing for. Her constant state of high-strung was enough to exhaust me. Charlie was exactly the opposite, very laid back and easy going. He was a simple man, and I started to regret not coming around for the past few years. I hoped my time now would make that up to him.


	6. Chapter 6 The Best Laid Plans

Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.

Chapter 6 - The Best Laid Plans

APOV

After leaving Bella at the office, I headed toward the parking lot, where Edward was waiting rather impatiently at his car. I usually rode home with Jasper, but he had to leave school early for a doctor's appointment. It couldn't have been more perfect. Now I had the ride home to bring up Bella in conversation and try to see what Edward thought of her. I was slightly annoyed that he had cut out of lunch before I could wrangle him into walking her to class. I wished I could have found some reason to linger, but Bella had made it clear that she had things to do. I wondered if it would take a little bit longer than usual for my charm to work its wonders on her.

"Don't look so pissy, Edward. It's not like you've been waiting all that long. I don't know why you always think you have to be the first one out of the parking lot."

"I see no need to stand around and make petty conversation, Alice."

"There's nothing wrong with socializing, you know. You should try it some day!"

"Why bother? A majority of the people here at school aren't even bright enough to hold a conversation beyond what brand clothes they are wearing, or who is dating who, or any number of ridiculously annoying topics."

"Oh Edward," I sighed. "You can be so incredibly stubborn sometimes, you know that?" It didn't look like our conversation was off to a good start. As we got in the Volvo and buckled up our seat belts, he automatically reached over and turned on the CD player. Just as quickly, I reached over and flipped it off.

Edward looked at me and rolled his eyes. "Do you have some kind of aversion to listening to music now?"

"No," I responded, ignoring the scowl on his face. "I just thought that it would be nice to talk for a change. Unless you are grouping me in with the people that you don't deem worthy of speaking to." I gave him my best pout. Ha, it worked. His eyes softened and he flashed me his trademark crooked grin.

"Of course I don't feel that way about you, Alice. So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, for starters, what do you think of the new girl?" I plied, hoping I wasn't being too conspicuous.

"Bella? What about her? She's new. She's a girl." Hmmm, well at least he remembered her name. That was a start, right?

"I like her. I think she's really nice. It's great to have some new blood around here!" I was hoping if I was enthusiastic enough, it might rub off on Edward.

"Well, I just feel bad for her. New blood seems to attract the piranhas in this place. I swear the student body has talking about nothing else. Hopefully it'll pass soon, for her sake." Not quite the reaction I was hoping for, but at least he seemed generally interested in her basic welfare.

"She's a sweet girl. Kind of mysterious, don't you think?" I added. I was hoping that by throwing out little tidbits like that, he might actually reveal some opinion about the girl.

"Eh," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "She seems pretty quiet. Not sure if that translates into mysterious in my book."

"I just meant that she seems like there's more depth to her. You know, compared to the other girls around here." I hoped that by adding that in, I could force him to see her in a different light than the rest of the female student population.

"I wouldn't know. It's not like I really talked to her or anything."

"Well, you could have, you know?" I scolded him. "I mean, I brought her to our lunch table and you barely said two words to her. What ever happened to your manners, Edward?" Now it was my turn to scowl at him!

"Don't get all worked up, Alice. I wasn't trying to be rude; I just didn't have anything to say to her. What's the big deal?" He looked confused.

While I wanted to scream out to him, '_Don't you see it, you big dolt? She's perfect for you!' _I'd have to choose my words more carefully. "I was just trying to be nice. I know how out of place we felt when we first moved here, being the new kids, and, well, I just decided that I wasn't going to let that happen to someone else. That's all." I tried to calm my voice down so I didn't give my true intentions away. "I was just hoping that my brother would at least be decent enough to at least try having a conversation with her. And what was up with Rose? I swear, if looks could kill..."

"Who knows? You never know with that one. It doesn't take much, real or imagined, to set her off," Edward reminded me, speaking of Rosalie's unstable temperament. We left it at that, as we pulled up to our house. Edward got out and went inside and straight up to his room, just like usual.

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The week wasn't going as well as I had hoped. I saw Bella every morning in English, and again in Spanish, and she had been eating with us all week long for lunch, but things still weren't progressing at a very good pace. Despite her cool demeanor, Bella still remained rather distant. I had begun to wonder if she'd had any close friends back in Phoenix. I mean, she never talked about her old school at all, save for mentioning that she had already done most of the school work back there. I was starting to think that rather than being self-assured, which I had first thought she was, that she was truly a loner. That could work to my advantage though. I mean, who better to understand a loner, than another loner, right? I had to remind myself to be patient.

It wasn't as though she weren't being friendly. On the contrary, I actually enjoyed the time I spent talking with her. She really broke up the monotony of my day, and she had a way of looking at things that made me see things from a different perspective. It was just that our friendship hadn't really advanced to the point where I felt like she'd accept my invitation for after school fun. I had tried inviting her over, and that didn't work. I had even tried inviting _myself_ over to her place, and that hadn't panned out yet either. She always had some excuse of having schoolwork to do, or grocery shopping, or household chores. It was always something. I remembered my mantra, Time and Patience. I decided to give in another week, and if I still couldn't get her to the point where she'd hang out with me outside of school, I'd have to resort to plan B. First, I had to come up with a plan B. I was not used to my plans being thwarted.


	7. Chapter 7 And This, My Life

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

**A/N – Keep the reviews coming!! If there is anything you'd like to see, or any ideas you have one what I can do different, I'd love to hear them!!**

Chapter 7 – And This, My Life

BPOV

My first week in Forks had progressed rather slowly and somewhat painfully. I had really hoped that the novelty of being the "new girl" would have worn off by now. I guess the kids here had nothing better to do. I was used to being ignored, but the whispers and the pointing were starting to get to be a bit much. I was thankful for Alice, because when I was with her, it was almost like I became invisible to the rest of the student body, which suited me just fine.

I was still getting used to the idea of having someone I could call a friend. Not having had a close girl friend before, I had nothing to base my experience off of. You'd think after having spent years with Renee, the constant chattering would be easy for me to adjust to, but it was still a foreign concept. With Renee, it was more like I was the adult, and she was the child, so while she jabbered off question after question, or detail after detail, I wasn't really expected to answer. With Alice, I had to actually come up with answers and make a conscious effort to have a meaningful conversation. I still felt like Alice was in a category way above where I'd ever be, but that didn't seem to bother her any. In fact, Alice seemed happy to play the role of major contributor when it came to discussion.

Even though it felt odd to have a girl friend, I really found that I enjoyed spending time with Alice. She was pretty, smart, funny and very knowledgeable about any topic we discussed. It was nice to have someone to talk to on a daily basis, someone who actually seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. I wondered what I'd been missing out on all these years as an introvert. Even so, I kept turning down Alice's offers to get together outside of school. When she mentioned coming over to my house, I quickly changed the subject, mumbled about things I had to do and practically ran off. Truthfully, I _wanted_ to hang out with Alice.

The thing was, well, I was scared. I was still polishing my conversational skills for one thing, and I was so worried about making myself look like an idiot in front of her. I was terrified that if we started spending more time together, she'd realize I wasn't as cool as she acted like I was, and she'd get tired of me. Having her around made adjusting to school so much easier. If I didn't have Alice as my security blanket, I'm not sure that I'd be nearly as content as I was starting to feel here in Forks. Dare I say it, but for the first time in my life, I felt like I fit in somewhere. And I was loath to do anything to screw that up.

Lunches were always a nerve-wracking time for me. I was getting used to socializing with Alice, but here, there were 4 other people to worry about looking like a fool in front of. Well, really not 4. Edward hadn't spoken to me since that first day in biology, and even though I sat next to him every day, he didn't bother to mutter even one word, let alone look at me. I guess I had made my bed there, and I was laying in it. Alice of course chattered at me, and Jasper too, but I wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to, or because he wanted to impress Alice. As for Rose, she'd occasionally toss a remark my way. It was never anything really friendly and she always gave me this disdainful look as if I had no more worth to her than a pile of garbage. The only one besides Alice that seemed genuinely interested in me was Emmett. He was really easy to get along with, pretty much just one big kid.

Each day, when the bell rang to signal that lunch was over, I'd trudge towards biology. I grudgingly sat on my stool at the table next to Edward. Thankfully, we'd had no other assignments that required teamwork. That would have been hard to accomplish seeing as how he pretty much ignored my very existence. I just sat there pretending to be engrossed in my textbook, even though this was work I had completed back in Phoenix.

The tension I felt emanating from Edward was perplexing. If I was invisible to him, why was there this almost crackle of electricity coming at me from his direction? I was utterly confused. He behaved pretty much the same way as he did at lunch, just staring ahead, lost in his own world. It was very bizarre. Every day, as soon as class was over, he'd be the first one out the door. Some days he was so fast I almost didn't see him move. I'd begun wondering if I smelled or something.

Then I'd head grudgingly to gym. Gym class was my personal hell. I didn't loathe much in life, but this definitely fit the bill. Every day it was the same thing. Standing there trying not to turn 6 shades of red while everyone else's name got called and I was left alone, being forced upon the team that was last to choose. The team captain would always sigh at me and I'd look down at the ground hoping to avoid all eye contact. The opposing team would always chuckle because my loss was their gain. We were still playing volleyball, so it wasn't like they could just stick me somewhere like the outfield in baseball. We had to rotate positions, which just made it harder for me to blend in to the background.

When it was my turn to serve, everyone around me would duck. That was the reaction after I'd accidentally spiked the ball on several heads my first day playing. When I was in other positions, I had tried just standing there and letting my teammates do the work. They actually preferred it that way. But then the coach would yell, "Come on, Swan!! You'll never get a passing grade if you don't try!" I think even he was giving up on me.

Finally Friday came and I half walked, half ran out of the locker room after changing out of my gym clothes. I was headed right for my car, happy as a clam to be able to go home and relax until Monday morning when it would all start over again. I almost ran into Alice as she suddenly materialized before me.

"Listen, Bella. We need to talk. I can tell that you're a little shy. I get that, totally, and I respect it," she began. "I know it's hard starting in a new place, especially one as small as Forks. When I got here, it was like everyone knew my name, but I hadn't a clue who they were! It was pretty uncomfortable."

"That's the understatement of the year, Alice," I confided in her. "I don't think I'll ever fit in. If it weren't for you, I'd go my whole day without even using my voice." That was more than I meant to share with her, but there was just something about Alice that made her easy to open up to.

"So, I was thinking...since you're not ready to go out and about yet, what about if we exchange phone numbers? I know Forks is a pretty boring town with not a lot to do, and this way, if you get bored on the weekend, you can give me a call!"

I thought for a minute. Surely there could be no harm in exchanging phone numbers. I felt like a giddy child at that moment, realizing that Alice was the first friend who had ever even asked me for my phone number. "You know, Alice. I think that'll work." We got out papers and pens then and I scribbled down my number for her in my messy writing. When she handed me her number I looked down at it. I smiled as I saw that her handwriting was just as beautiful and stylish as she was herself.


	8. Chapter 8 Making Strides

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

**A/N - Please review! I'd love to know if I'm on the right track! I've got the rest of the story planned out, and if it goes the way I intent, there will be 20 chapters. Let me know what you think!!**

Chapter 8 - Making Strides

APOV

Finally, I made some progress!! I had given it a lot of thought and it was becoming more and more clear to me that Bella was a serious introvert. It was going to take a bit more than I had anticipated getting her out of her shell. I decided that slow and steady was the way to go. I kissed my plans of being able to go out on the weekend and decided that Bella was a project that required baby steps. I approached at the end of school on Friday to implement my new plan.

I started with small talk, commiserated that I knew what it was like being the new girl and how I understood that she was shy. I figured if I identified with her, it might make it easier for her to open up to me. The conversation ended successfully and I walked away with her phone number in my purse. Silly girl, she looked like she had gotten a new puppy when I handed her my number. Jasper was waiting impatiently for me so I ran to his car and hopped in with a huge smile on my face.

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I got up on Saturday and picked up the phone to call Bella and stopped myself. Thinking about it, I wasn't sure that Bella was the type of girl you'd call without having a specific reason to do so. I mean, I didn't want her to think I was stalking her or anything. As I was eating breakfast, mulling it over, Edward walked in.

"Hey, Alice. Have you been working on your English paper?"

"English paper?" I repeated, breaking my train of thought.

"You do realize it's due next week, right? I got mine finished up last night so I don't have to worry about it during the weekend."

Of course he got it finished up last night. You know, because his weekends were so full of social obligations. Ugh! Now he was free to sit in his room all day and night reading his books and listening to his music. I was getting ready to voice my disgust at his weekend habits when a thought struck me. Bella had already mentioned that she had done a similar paper in Phoenix and she was going to just recycle a paper for this project that was due. But, I could call her and ask her to help me research my paper with me!! It was perfect. I jumped up from the table with a squeal.

"English paper! Perfect! Thank you, Edward. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I gave him a hug and ran off to my room to make the call.

First, I had to dig through my purse to find her number, which proved to be a bit difficult. Note to self: clean out and organize my purse. Finally, I found the scrap of paper her number was written on. It had gotten crumpled up a little at the bottom of my bag, so I smoothed it out, and groaned. Total chicken scratch. I could hardly read her writing. I almost searched around at the other bits of papers in my purse to make sure I had the right one, but no, that was her name at the top. I groaned. Was that an "8" or a "5", or maybe a "3?"

I decided to try the "5" hoping it was the right one. I checked the clock to make sure it wasn't too early to call, took a deep breath, and dialed.

Ring.

Ring.

"Hello?" answered a deep male voice, that I was pretty sure didn't belong to Chief Swan.

"Yes, may I speak to Bella, please?"

"There's nobody here by that name!" the voice said, gruffly.

"Sorry, wrong number," I mumbled sheepishly.

Click.

I was going to have to have a serious talk with Bella. That is, if I could ever decipher her handwriting!!!

I tried the number again, this time with a "3."

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Click. "Hello, you have reached the voice mailbox of Tanya..." I hung up.

I guessed third time would be a charm. I dialed yet again, this time using an "8" and hoping I didn't have any of the other numbers wrong.

The phone rang several times and I was about to give up when a timid sounding voice answered the phone.

"Um... Hello?" Bella said.

"Bella!! It's Alice! Listen, girl, we have to have a serious talk about your penmanship!"

"Huh?" She sounded stunned, as if she were shocked that I was actually calling her.

"Your writing was like chicken scratch! Even Carlisle has better writing than that, and he's a doctor! I couldn't figure out one of the numbers and got the wrong one twice before reaching you." 

"Oh," she said sounding flat. "I'm sorry, Alice."

"No biggie, I was just teasing you. Listen, Bella, are you free this afternoon? Please, please, please?" I begged. She couldn't see my pouty face through the phone but I hoped I conveyed it well enough through the phone line.

"Um... Why?"

"Well, it's that English project. You know, the one you were thinking of "recycling" for?" I hoped that my little mention of what could technically be considered cheating would guilt her into helping me. "Well, I need to go to the library to do research for my paper. I was wondering if, well, could you help me, Bella? Please? I'll be forever indebted to you. I have to get a good grade on this to pull up my average or Carlisle and Esme will kill me!" I was not opposed to groveling when it served a greater purpose.

Bella laughed. "Okay, Alice. Sure. Why not? What time do you want me to be there?"

Yes!! Success! I gave her a time and hung up the phone and did a happy dance in my room.

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Bella really knew her stuff and I sat mesmerized at how effective she was at this kind of thing. I had thought I would be bored out of my mind with all of the research, but actually, I was kind of enjoying it. I learned a lot and got everything done that I needed to, and even got part of my paper written, and the rest outlined. Bella was quiet, but she sure was smart! I almost felt like I was taking advantage of the fact that I was her only friend. But to be truthful, I really enjoyed the time I was spending with her. I was beginning to feel closer to Bella than I was to Rosalie, whom I had known for what felt like forever. Rose was so shallow compared to Bella. I could tell Bella anything and I knew she'd never judge me. I'd never been able to say the same thing about Rose.

We sat outside for a while talking when we were done in the library. I asked her how she liked Forks so far, and she said she was starting to feel like it was really home. I blushed when she thanked me for my friendship. I felt guilty knowing my original intention for the friendship. I had started out pretty much trying to use her for my benefit. Things like this had never bothered me before, but for some reason, this felt different. I really liked Bella. It was inherently wrong of me to use her. At the same time, I really believed in my heart that Bella and Edward were perfect for each other. I convinced myself that this was as much for her benefit as it was for his, and even for mine. My motives were at least pure.

I was dying to know what was going on in biology, but hadn't worked up the courage to ask Edward yet. He always knew when I was prying and I had to keep this on the down low. So, I asked Bella what her favorite subject was, hoping she'd say biology.

"English, because you're in it, of course!" Bella exclaimed.

"Aw, thanks, Bella!" I responded, the red creeping up into my cheeks. I had to think of another way to go about this.

"Hey, what do you and Edward talk about in biology? I'm only asking because he's been so quiet at home, I thought you might be able to give me a little insight." There, that would work. It made me come across as concerned, rather than nosey.

"Um..." Bella gulped. "To tell you the truth, Edward and I don't really talk. I mean, he asked me a couple questions that first day, but nothing since."

"You don't talk at all?" I was amazed and appalled.

"Nope. Not one word since that first day." Her face fell flat and she looked, dare I say, disappointed.

"Oh. Maybe it's his time of the month," I joked, trying to play it off.

Bella just chuckled.

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Later, as soon as I got home, I stormed up to Edward's room and barged in the door.

"Hey!" He shouted, looking up from his book surprised. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" He looked annoyed but he must have seen the look on my face and knew I meant business, because he softened right up.

"What's up, Alice? Is everything okay?" He looked concerned.

"No, everything is NOT okay, Edward. I just happened to find out that you have not spoken even one word to Bella since that first day she was in biology!"

"Bella? Bella Swan?" he said, like he was trying to remember who she was.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes!" I yelled. "Bella Swan, my friend?" I put emphasis on the word friend. "Edward! Really, how could you be so rude?"

He stammered. "I wasn't trying to be rude, Alice. It's just... she really didn't seem that interested in talking to me that first day, so I just figured she wanted to be left alone."

"She's SHY, Edward!" I practically screamed at him. "She's also one of the nicest girls I've ever met, and I want her to like me, to be my friend, and, well, it doesn't look too good if my own brother won't even waste his time talking to her." Tears sprang to my eyes. What surprised me was that they weren't fake. They were genuine. I really did want Bella to like me. I realized I was truly striving hard to make her my best friend.

"I'm sorry, Alice," Edward apologized. "I really didn't intend to hurt her feelings or be obnoxious. I didn't realize you cared that much about her. I'll try my best to be friendly to her from now on, okay? Just please don't cry!"

I thanked him and walked away, trying to keep my smug smile to myself.


	9. Chapter 9 Bounce in My Step

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

**A/N - There seems to be some confusion with the character category that I chose. I just wanted to clarify. I chose Bella/Alice not because they were in a relationship, but because they are the two main characters, hence the story being told solely in their two points of view. That being said, I assumed I should put it in the Bella/Alice category. (I am new to this and was not aware that the character category is to be used to show who the relationship is between, not the POV the story is written in.) Yes, the relationship aspect does belong to Bella and Edward, so I changed the category. However, I do have an intended plot twist planned for the end that involves feelings between Alice and Bella. I thank everyone for the feedback and advice. Please forgive me for being misleading by putting the story in the wrong category. It was most definitely not my intention.**

**So, if you think I did the right thing by changing the category, review me. If you think I did the wrong thing, review me. Either way, please leave a review! I have a bunch of other stories I am working on, and if this is not being received well, I don't want to waste effort on it. Thanks!! Hope that clears things up!**

Chapter 9 - Bounce in My Step

BPOV

Saturday was perfect. I was nervous as all get out when the phone rang and it was Alice. I was worried I had come across as being rude because I honestly had never had a phone conversation with a friend before. When she asked me to come to the library, I almost turned her down. That begging though, well, I just couldn't say no. I figured the library was pretty neutral ground. I mean, it really wasn't that different from school.

We really had a good time. Alice seemed amazed at my research skills. I was hoping I wasn't sounding like a total nerd, but she seemed to be excited about the things I was teaching her. When we were done, we sat outside and chatted like two best friends. It was amazing! For the first time in my life, I felt... well... normal. There I was, a normal girl, going to study with a normal friend, sitting outside having a normal conversation.

My good mood lasted all of the rest of Saturday and carried me through all of Sunday too. I was starting to really enjoy my new life here in Forks. Had I known it would be this good, I would have urged Renee to go off on her adventures long ago. I practically glided around the house, doing the laundry, tidying up and fixing a spectacular Sunday dinner for Charlie and me. Charlie commented on my sunny demeanor while we ate. I told him I was just happy to be here and to have a new friend and glad I made the choice to come. Charlie couldn't have been more ecstatic.

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I was actually looking forward to going to school on Monday morning. It seemed that the novelty of being new was wearing off, and even if it wasn't I was too pleased with myself to notice. I found myself actually looking forward to lunch now, participating more in the conversation around the table. Rose still made snide remarks, but Alice just said she had a bitchy disposition and to ignore it. Edward was still silent, but I had gotten used to that. I was surprised that I wasn't even feeling leery of sitting next to him in biology anymore. I felt like a new woman. If he wanted to ignore me, than so be it. It shouldn't bother me; boys like him had ignored me pretty much my whole life, so it wasn't like it was something new.

I walked into biology class and straight to my stool, head held high like I owned the place. I saw Mike Newton following me out of the corner of my eye. I almost giggled out loud. Much to my amazement, as soon as I sat down, Edward cleared his throat and spoke to me.

"Um, Bella? I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's start fresh, okay? Hi, I'm Edward Cullen. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand.

I wasn't sure if this was some kind of joke or not, but I decided to take my chances. I was not going to let this ruin my mood. I shook his hand lightly.

"Nice to meet you, Edward," I said, trying not to laugh.

"There, that's better, don't you think?"

I felt guilty because here he was the one trying to rectify everything, yet _I_ was the one who had been blatantly rude to him. I decided I should try and play nice. After all, he was Alice's brother.

"Listen, Edward, I'm really sorry for the way I spoke to you my first day. It was rude of me, and I apologize."

"Apology accepted!" Edward said with a crooked grin on his face. "I was just trying to figure out what I did to piss you off!" he joked. "You can tell me, you know. I don't bite."

"It's just that..." I sighed, trying to figure out how to word this. "When I walked in, I tripped. Anyway, I looked up at you and you were rolling your eyes."

Edward paused thoughtfully, as if trying to remember what happened that day. "Why yes, yes I did roll my eyes. I wasn't rolling them at you, though. I was rolling them because the other cretins in this classroom were laughing at you. I can't stand such blatant obnoxiousness."

"Oh," I said. "And when you were talking about being self-sacrificing? Were you being sarcastic?"

"No, I was being honest. Truthfully, the rest of the kids here severely annoy me. They are immature idiots. I really do think it was thoughtful of you to change your whole life so your mother can pursue her dreams."

"Oh. I guess I over-reacted then. I really am sorry, Edward."

"What are you apologizing for? It's all water under the bridge."

The teacher asked us to complete a worksheet he passed out. He declared that once we were done, we could talk quietly. That set everyone to working with a speed rarely seen in this classroom. Of course, Edward and I finished before everyone else.

"Are you excited about something, or am I boring you?" Edward asked me.

"Huh?"

"Well, you keep looking at the clock. I figured you're either anticipating something fun, or you're getting tired of talking to me." He flashed that crooked grin of his again.

"Ah," I sighed. "You're not boring me, I promise. I am anticipating something, but it's not fun. More like dreading something."

"Dreading? What could be so bad?"

"Gym," I answered in monotone voice.

"Really, and what's so bad about gym, Bella?"

"I suck at it, for one. There something you should know about me, Edward. I'm a huge klutz. Let's just say that volleyball is not my forte."

"Eh, who cares what these guys think?" he asked, waving his hand around gesturing at the other students who were still working diligently on their papers.

"I guess I shouldn't, but when they all avoid me like the plague in gym, it's hard not to care."

"Why do they avoid you?"

I relayed my stories of trying to serve and spiking the ball on several heads. He laughed. I sat there frowning.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I don't mean to laugh, it's just that the thought of you knocking them all upside the head is one that I find very amusing."

"I guess it could be construed as funny. It just sucks when you're consistently the last one picked."

"Listen, why don't you come over some time and I'll help you? You know, show you some moves, and work on your serve?"

"Are you sure you want to take that risk?" I asked him sheepishly. "I'm dangerous, you know."

"I think I can handle it. And don't worry, I've got a helmet if needs be," he chuckled. "Seriously though, think about it. It can only get better, right?"

"I don't know about that, but I will think about it."

Just then the bell rang and a collective groan came up from the other kids. They were still finishing their papers. The teacher stood at the front of the room, a smug grin on his face. I laughed to myself.

"Well, thanks, Edward. I'm glad we got everything cleared up."

"Me too, Bella."

"I'm off to my own personal hell!" I waved to him.

"Hang in there, Bella!" he called to me.

I walked into the locker room just a step lighter.


	10. Chapter 10 Invitation

**Disclaimer - All characters, etc. belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own Twilight, or anything for that matter.**

**A/N - Keep those reviews coming! I'd love to know what you think I'm doing right, or wrong!!**

Chapter 10 - Invitation

APOV

Mondays were usually awful and annoying. It's never fun to go back to school after the weekend. This Monday was a bit different though. I was actually excited for once, mostly because I could not wait to talk to Bella after our fun Saturday. I was also dying to know if Edward had made good on his word to at least make an attempt to be friendly towards her.

I greeted Bella warmly when I saw her for first period. Unfortunately, that was the gist of it. Our English papers needed to be turned in and then we had a test that took most of the class. Another test in Spanish took away any opportunity for chitchat as well. I had to hold off until lunch to see if anything changed.

Lunch went pretty much the same as usual. Bella seemed more sure of herself now and she was doing more talking. The conversation was all between her, Jasper, Emmett and I, with Rose throwing in her usual snide comments here and there. Edward just sat there, picking at his sub-par food not saying anything. I wanted to scream at him, but I didn't think that would go over too well. Lunch, which usually felt like it was over just as soon as it had started, crept by slower than slow. Finally when the bell rang, I shot Edward my meanest dirty look. I glared at him with all of my might, hoping he would get the picture. He just raised his eyebrows at me and walked away. Ugh!

After school I begged off riding home with Jasper, making an excuse that I was up late finishing my paper and I was hoping to grab a quick nap before dinner. I knew getting Edward cornered in the car was the only way I was going to be able to get an answer from him. I scowled at him as I buckled myself in.

"What's up with you, Alice? You've been shooting daggers at me with your eyes all day!" Edward complained.

"I'm mad at you, Edward," I said with my best pout.

"Care to tell me why?"

"You told me you'd be friendlier to Bella, and you didn't even make an effort. You just sat there at lunch staring off into space the entire time, Edward!"

Edward sighed. "I said I'd _try_, Alice, and it just so happens that Bella and I had a great conversation during biology. You're right, she is nice."

I was prepared to rake him over the coals but he stopped me in my tracks. "Really? You did?" I practically squealed.

"Yes, Alice, I did, so you can stop trying to perfect your death stare, okay?"

"Oh, Edward!!! You just made me SO happy! So, tell me, my wonderful brother, what did you guys talk about?" I gushed.

"Do I really have to relay the conversation, Alice?" Edward groaned.

"Yes, you do. Bella is my friend and I want to make sure I approve."

Edward sighed. "Okay. Well, basically, we cleared the air, kind of started over. I guess we had some kind of misunderstanding or something."

"A misunderstanding? How?"

"The first day she walked into biology, she tripped. The other jerks in the class laughed at her and I rolled my eyes - at them - not her. Anyway, she thought I was annoyed by her or something and I clarified."

"What else?"

"Really, Alice?"

My head bobbed up and down like one of those bobble head dolls. I pleaded with him to continue.

"And, she thought I was being sarcastic about something I said that first day. So, we got that all cleared up."

"And then?" I inquired.

"And then she kept looking at her watch and I asked her if I was boring her and she said it was because she was dreading gym. Do you realize what a bunch of idiots we go to school with, Alice?" Edward asked with an annoyed look on his face.

"Why do you say that?"

"They laugh at her in gym class, and she's always the last one picked. Poor girl, that's really gotta be rotten. She seemed miserable when it was time to go."

I felt bad. As much as Bella and I were talking these days, she'd never confided in me that she was having troubles in gym. I'd have to figure out a way to have some girl time with her, and get her to open up. I started thinking about ways to do this.

"Are you going to listen or not?" Edward's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You've asked for pretty much a play by play of our whole talk, and here I am talking and you aren't even listening!"

"Sorry, I'm listening now. What did you say?"

"I said, I invited her over here sometime, you know, told her she should come over here so I could teach her how to serve and show her some volleyball moves."

"You DID? Omigosh, omigosh, Edward! You are brilliant!" I screamed.

By this time we were home and I ran up to my room eager to phone Bella and invite her over. I picked up the phone, and the number, which I had re-written, and called her. This time, she sounded more confident when she answered the phone.

"Hello?" Bella said.

"Hey, Bella, it's Alice!"

"Hi, Alice. What's up?"

"Well, I was thinking, tomorrow after school..."

"Yes," Bella said with a smile in her voice.

"Do you wanna come over? Please please please?" The begging thing had worked last time, so I tried it again. "We had so much fun at the library, I was hoping we could hang out more, you know, girl time. Plus, Edward will be here and he mentioned that he could help you with your volleyball problems. What do you say, Bella?"

"He mentioned that?" she asked. I couldn't tell if she sounded excited or mortified at the prospect of Edward talking about her.

"Yeah, he knows you're my friend and so he was just telling me that he offered to help you out." I know that was risky, me making it sound like it was no big deal. That alone would have turned any other girl off, but this was Bella and she was different. If she thought it was a big deal, she'd never come over. I waited with baited breath.  

"You know what, Alice? That sounds like a great plan. I'd love to spend some more time with you too. And honestly? I really need help with the whole volleyball thing. I don't know if I can take another gym class like today's."

"Great. We can ride to my house together in your truck then?" I asked her, hoping this wasn't pushing the envelope.

"Sure, Alice!"

We hung up, and I let out another squeal. This was absolutely perfect!! I went to my bedside table, dug out all of my fashion magazines and set out to do some heavy-duty research. Time to figure out how to liven up her looks and wardrobe!


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